Catch



(No Model.)

T.- P. 130mm.v

GA'I'GH,

N0.55s,asz. v Patented Feb. 4, 1896.

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FW' ff f 1' I |IlllllillllllllmllllllHlillllllllli UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE F. BOURNE, OF CLIFTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THORNLEY DIOKSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

CATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,832, dated February 4, 1896.

Application led December 26, 1890. Serial No. 375,790. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE F. BOURNE, residing in Clifton, Richmond county, State of New York, have invented a Fastener for Laces, Cords, and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a fastener or catch for holding strings, tapes, and the like, and capable of being secured to shoes, binders, and the like, which catch shall be simple in construction and eective in use.

The invention consists in the novel details of improvement and the combination of parts that will be more fully hereinafter set forth, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved catch. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the catch. Fig. is av perspective view of a shoe having my catch affixed. Fig. 5 is a plan view; and Fig. 6 is a side view of the catch, showing one means for securing the catch in position. Figs. 7 and S are similar views showing another means for securing the catch. Fig. 9 is a plan view of a double catch. Fig. 10 is a similar view of the blank from which said catch is made. Fig. 11 is a side view of the catch. Fig. 12 is a partly-broken face view showing my catch applied to a temporary binder; and Figs. 13, 14, l5, 16, 17, and 1S are detail views, hereinafter more fully described, Fig. 17 being a section on the line t 4, Fig. 18.

In the drawings the letters B D indicate clamping-jaws that are adapted to grasp between them a string, tape, cord, or the like, said jaws at their outer ends being close together. Said jaws may be suitably held in position, but for some purposes I secure the jaws to a base or frame A, capable of being attached to any suitable support.

The jaws B D are preferably made from spring metal to close automatically on the string E. I prefer in some cases to form the jaws B D and base or frame A from a single piece of metal, and for that purpose I take a piece of metal and make two parallel cuts o near opposite sides for a portion of its length, which form spring-jaws, leaving wings b seabutment, around which the string passes,

forms a bend in the latter. (See Figs. 2, 4,

and l2.) To prevent the string from rising v from the catch or abutment, I cut a recess d in the abutment or edge of the wing or wall b, which forms a loop or the like e, under which `the string passes.

As shown in Fig. 14, the abutment or wing b is provided with an eye d through which the string can pass for the same purpose as the loop; but it is evident that the loop or eye could be otherwise arranged or be in the base A, as in dotted lines, Fig. 13. To secure the string E in the catch it is first passed around the abutment under the loop e', or through the eye, and is then laid between the ends of the jaws B D, (see Fig. 2,) which grasp the string. "When strain is applied to the string inthe direction of the arrow, Fig. 12, the tendency will be to draw the jaws B D more together and thus bite the string harder and the string will not slip. To release the string it is merely necessary to lift its free end from the jaws B D.

This catch can be made very cheaply by machinery and holds a string or tape very effectively. The angle at which the jaws B D come together can be varied to give more or less grip to the string, as shown in the different views ofthe drawings.

This catch is particularly adapted to be used on lace-shoes to hold the laces or strings at. the top of the shoe in order to dispense with the necessity of tying, as shown in Fig. 4.

The lace E in this case passes from the usual 9 5 IOO holes j" for rivets or eyelets in order to secure the catch in position. The metal at the sides of said aperture may be in the form of teeth g and project outward, as in Figs. '7 and S, which teeth sink into the leather or other article to which the catch is to be attached when the holding rivet or eyelet is set, thereby preventing the catch from turning; or the plate A may have prongs 7L cut in it and turned outward to pass through the article to which the catch is to be secured and then clinched, as in Figs. 5 and G.

To facilitate the placing of the string be. tween the jaws B D, the upper outer edges of the jaws may be swaged or turned over slightly, as at (See Figs. 7 and 15.)

It will be seen that the vertical edges of the jaws B D at their outer ends engage the string E, the jaws approaching each other from opposite sides of the base-plate A at an angle. The string can be freely drawn through between the jaws in an outward direction, but when drawn inward the jaws grasp and hold it. The wings b support the jaws B D on the base A, and although shown all in one piece of metal the jaws could be separate pieces suitably secured to the base or any other support.

The baseAis shown extending beneath the jaws B D and forms a rest for the jaws, besides which it prevents the string E from being pressed down too far between the jaws. If the base A or other support were not beneath the jaws B D the strings might be pressed too far through the jaws and slip below them, in which case the strings would not be held.

For some purposes it is desirable that the catch be made double-that is to say, having pairs of jaws B D at opposite ends and projecting in opposite directions. (See Figs. 9, 10, 11, and 12.) Fig. 1() shows a blank for a double catch on a base A, in which are pairs of cuts a a at opposite ends of the base-plate A, forming pairs of jaws B D at opposite ends; also a side recess cl, forming two loops e e and two abutments, one to accompany each pair of jaws. Fig. 9 shows the double catch complete. Fig. l2 shows the double catch applied to a temporary binder F, where the strings E extend in opposite directions, each string being held by a pair of jaws B D.

It will be noticed in Figs. 4L and 12 that the jaws B D project toward the point from whence the string extends-that is, toward the hook f2 on the shoe F or the eye j on the binder G. By this means a sharp turn is given the string E as it passes around the abutment, which assists in taking up the strain on the string.

In some cases, as when a dat string or tape is used, the outer end of the jaws B or D may be crimped to form a groove Z, into which the opposite jaws may project. (See Fig. 13.) This groove Zputs an extra bend in the string or tape when it is placed between the jawsto assist in preventing the string slipping. Figs. 14e and l5 show side views of this form of catch.

In Figs. 1G, 17, and 1S only one jaw, D, is free and movable, the opposite j aw bein g integral with the wing b or rigid and not cut from the base A at ce, in other respects the catch being substantially the saine. It will be seen that when the catch is completed the sides of the jaws B and D are at right angles to the baseplate A, leaving an open space between the base A, wings b, and jaws B D through which the string can pass.

To use this catch the string is rst drawn as tight as desired, then passed around the abutment through the recess or eye cl and laid in between the jaws B D, the loop e preventing it from rising from its abutment. The adjustment of the string in the catch is very simple and can be quickly done, and the string will be securely held.

This catch can be made large and heavy, (to hold ropes, if desired,) can be quickly placed in position, and is not liable to get out of order. A great point in its favor is its cheapness.

In Fig. 15 I have shown an eyelet secured to the base, say, by drawing the metal into tube form.

Bywing b it will be understood that I mean the part that supports the spring-jaw.

I-Iaving now described my invention, what I claim isi 1. A fastener composed of a base, elastic jaws carried thereby and converging toward each other and adapted to grasp a string or the like between them, and an abutment located back of the inner sides of said jaws to receive a string or the like, to prevent the latter from spontaneously moving from the fastener and to coact with the jaws in holding the string, substantially as described.

2. A fastener composed of a base, wings b, secured to and rising from the same and elastic jaws extending from said wings and converging toward each other and adapted to grasp a string or the like between them, and with an abutment to receive the string to take up strain and prevent it from risingfrom the catch, substantially as described.

3. In a fastener, a base and the wings b, on the saine, said wings having the recess d,for1ning loop e, to retain a string in position, and the elastic jaws B, D, extending from said wings and converging 'together to grasp a string, substantially as described.

4. In a fastener, a base and elastic jaws thereon converging together at their ends to grasp a string or the like, the upper side edge of one or both of said jawsbeing turned outward to facilitate the entrance of a string between them, and an abutment located back of the inner walls of said jaws, to receive the string to take up strain, and a loop or extension c to retain a lace or string in position, substantially as described.

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5. A fastener having,` a base, spring-jaws eeive a string or the like, as and for the purand an abutment, al1 formed from a single pose speciiied.

piece of metal and consistin@ of a base havingwingstnrned outwardlythterefrompring- THEODORE F BOURNE' 5 jaws integral With said Wings, and eonverg- Witnesses:

ing together at their free ends, the edge of MILES W. BROOKS,

one of said- Wings forming an abutment to re- THEODORE BOURNE. 

